le clergé

Clergé is a French noun that refers to the body of all clergy members, i.e., the official religious leaders within a church, especially in the Christian tradition.

Meaning:

• Clergé denotes the collective group of people ordained for religious duties, such as priests, ministers, bishops, and deacons.
• It can refer to the entire institution or establishment of these religious officials within a specific faith or church.

Parts:

• The word clergé comes from the Latin clericus, meaning "clergyman" or "clerk," originally implying someone who could read and write and who was dedicated to religious service.
• The root is related to clergy, which in English carries the same meaning.

Synonyms:

• Église (Church) (although this tends to refer to the physical building or institution rather than the people)
• Élus du clergé (members of the clergy)
• Prêtres (priests) — a subset of the clergé
• Ministres du culte (ministers of worship)

Antonyms:

• Laïcs (laity) — refers to regular members of the religious community who are not clergy.
• Profanes (laypeople or secular individuals)

Summary:

The clergé represents the religious officials performing duties in a church environment, distinguished from the laity, and plays a significant role in religious practices and institutions.